Joe's Restaurant: A shining (Michelin) star in Venice

Boardwalk foods -- hot dogs, pizza-by-the-slice, ice cream -- this is what the Venice food scene was famous for. But over the years, the beach community has developed a more refined palate. The Abbot Kinney district, in particular, has become a dining hot spot, and that is thanks in large part to the Joe Miller, chef/owner of Joe’s Restaurant.

Long before the neighborhood became the Westside’s answer to Melrose Avenue, and before farm-to-fork dining became ubiquitous, Miller was continuing the California-centric tradition begun by Wolfgang Puck, Michael McCarty and the other innovators of the modern dining movement. The Venice landmark turns 22 years old this month, having survived the Northridge earthquake, the L.A. riots, 9/11 and an explosion of copycat restaurants.

Why you should go:

In October of 2008, the restaurant received a Michelin star, placing it among the world’s finest restaurants. Still, a casual beach vibe pervades the homey space, which feels like a dinner party at a friend’s home – only with red leather chairs and white table cloths. The multiple dining rooms are small enough that volume is not an issue, nor are crowds.

What to order:

The menu reads like a farmers’ market shopping list. For a can’t-lose proposition, try the chef’s tasting menu or the pre-fixe menu.

The menu changes to reflect whatever is in season. Highlights have included (the now-everywhere) octopus salad, and beet salad to get started. Other showstoppers include charred mackerel in eel sauce; salted cod with cherry tomatoes and basil; and roasted monkfish. Joe’s is essentially paradise for anyone who loves fish and veggies.

But pasta is also a specialty – the porcini mushroom ravioli, for instance – as well as meats, like braised pork or lamb with mole sauce.

And of course, the desserts are not overlooked. The chocolate crunch cake is a Joe’s classic.

For drinkers:

A full bar seats a handful of drinkers. It feels like a local hangout with the exception that the drinks are of a substantially better quality. There are about a dozen specialty cocktails, combining quality spirits and fresh ingredients. Happy Hour days are Tuesday through Thursday, and Sunday.

There is a well-balanced wine list, featuring more than 300 New World and Old World favorites, with something on the list for every palate and pocketbook. Miller even has his own private label.

What people are saying:

Gayot, in an unprecedented move (as far as I’m aware) gives the restaurant a whopping 15/20 rating. In its unabashed review, it says, “Chef-owner Joe Miller is not your average Joe – he doesn’t tend to grab the spotlight like some of his celebrity chef peers, but he has clearly established himself as one of L.A.’s top toques. His quiet approach, insistence on high-quality ingredients and innovation with a classical foundation has made him a local favorite … Miller excels with seafood, so it is sometimes difficult to choose between his meat preparations and the products from the sea.

“Prices have always been extremely reasonable … for a restaurant of this caliber … Miller was a pioneer in Venice and although the vibrant restaurant scene has exploded around him, Joe’s remains one of the community’s premier dining destinations.”

Zagat is equally effusive in its praise: ‘The granddaddy of Abbot Kinney,’ this longtime Venice standout hasn’t missed a beat in all these years thanks to Joe Miller’s ambitious, endlessly inventive seasonal Cal-French menu that has foodies falling over each other to praise, and a no-pretense setting that’s just the right blend of trendy and quiet; service is congenial, and even if prices are somewhat steep, the prix fixe lunch is a steal.”

What I think:

Joe’s is one of the perennial go-to restaurants in L.A. and in addition to lunch and dinner, it also offers a great brunch.